If you are reading this thinking, "what's to be ready for?" Hang up the phone, do your research, and come back when you REALLY know what you are in for. Publishing a book or any finished product does not take a few weeks; it doesn't even take a few months. Writing a manuscript, having it edited, rewriting, re-editing, re-structuring, and rewriting again can take years. Seriously, years; especially if it's your first book. The same goes for novels.
What do I know? Well, I've only been in the publishing industry for about five years. In those five years, I've also started my own media, translation, and editorial services business. While working in publishing, I've edited, managed, and developed a number of K-12 products as well as higher ed custom products. Although I don't have a TON of experience compared to some, I have enough experience to know that you can't put together a first draft manuscript and expect it to become on the Bestseller's list in a few months. It just doesn't work that way.
If you are looking to find an agent and sign with a large and well-known publisher, be ready for the long haul and what could be months and months of rejections. This isn't to say that your manuscript isn't worth it or doesn't have quality content, it's just that the publishing industry is very competitive. Think of it like the music industry. It takes a lot for musicians and artists to sign with record labels. It works the same way. You have to keep writing letters and sending copies of your manuscript to agents and publishers the same way musicians have to send copies of the demos, until it falls in the right hands.
So where do you start?
1.) First and foremost, draft a manuscript. It doesn't matter what type of book you are interested in publishing, you aren't going anywhere without at least a draft. You've got to have a starting point.
2.) Find a quality editor. Hire an editor or some time of consultant that will help you through writing your first book. He or she will know the ins and outs of the publishing industry, or should, and can guide you in the areas needed. There are plenty of editors that work on a consulting or independent/freelance basis that would love to and are willing to help out.
3.) Copyright = no joke. It amazes me how people think they can "borrow" images or content and not bother to credit sources. Seriously. Copyright is a huge deal today, especially with electronic content. Just because you can find something online, doesn't make it free. I've already lectured on copyright before, so I won't do it again. I just advise that if you are writing a book, or even something as innocent as a blog, write your own content, use your own images, and source where necessary. Don't call anything your own if it's not your own.
4.) Do your research. You might think you have a great story, and maybe you do. But how do you really know for sure? Do your market research. Start a blog or forum or even post something on your Facebook or Twitter pages about your idea for a book. See what kind of response you get or what your followers say. This is a great way to see what your book's earning potential is as well as what your target audience is. You can even format your current manuscript into a real eBook and sell it on Amazon. You may need to hire a freelance who can format your eBook so that it can be downloaded to a Kindle or iPad. If it sells well, you can present that to a publisher or agent. It will also be impressive to them that you've done a form or your own marketing as well as market research.
Those are the top three informational items one who should know prior to publishing a book. Here are three key mind frames one should focus on:
1.) Be open-minded. It's understandable that after putting a lot of time, effort, and maybe even money into your manuscript that it becomes your baby. However, if you want to see your book beautifully bound and on a bookshelf in a bookstore some day, be open-minded to an agent's or editor's suggestions. Some authors and writers are dead set on a particular story or characters, and it's a great attitude to be so attached to the characters or story you have created, however, an editor will know what areas to improve and what approach is best.
2.) Be patient. It's great to have goals and a timeline set in mind. After all, publishing is all about deadlines. However, if it is your goal to have your book written, edited, and published within a year, it may be realistic to have a back up time frame in mind. Like any great work, it takes time and effort, and sometimes even more time and effort to get it just write. A literary work is no different. Sometimes things need tweaking, or last minute adjustments need to be made in production schedules; it is all possible. Again, while it's great to have goals, be prepared to be delayed or encounter challenges or set backs.
3.) Be positive. While there's been a lot of information that I've thrown out in this blog, and many of it may seem negative, that's not the idea. It's just factual and real information. The publishing industry is no picnic. It's rigorous and it's competitive. Just be prepared. All in all, it's possible that you will receive rejections, setbacks, or even challenges along the way. Don't get discouraged. Any feedback that you receive shouldn't be taken personally. Think of it as areas where you can improve. Areas where you can improve your writing as well as where you can improve creatively and professionally. Writing your first book is definitely a learning experience.
All in all, you've got your word cut out for you. Publishing a book is a lot of work. Consider these points of advice mentioned above prior to seeking out an agent or even a self-publisher. Signing with a publisher or even working with a self-publisher has its pros and cons. Obviously working with a real, well-known publisher will have more of a long term impact on you as a writer, however, writers often lose money due to royalty contracts. Self-publishers are usually quicker as well as more cost effective. It all depends on what works best for you.
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